Tele/datacommunications payment method and apparatus

• US 6,868,391 B1
• Filed: 03/25/1998
• Issued: 03/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Hultgren, Anders
• Primary Examiner(s): Alvarez, Raquel
• Application Number:
  US09/047,533
• Time in Patent Office: 2,547 Days
• Field of Search: 705/16, 705/17, 705/26, 705/39, 705/40, 705/44, 705/80, 455/3.2, 455/410, 455/415, 455/433, 455/435, 455/438, 455/456, 455/575, 379/91.01, 379/93.02, 379/118, 379/145, 379/245
• US Class Current: 705/17
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/02 involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/204 comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/26 Debit schemes, e.g. "pay now"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3224 Transactions dependent on location of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3229 Use of the SIM of a M-device as secure element
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/403 Solvency checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/42 Confirmation, e.g. check or permission by the legal debtor of payment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/188 Electronic negotiation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/00 Prepayment of wireline communication systems, wireless communication systems or telephone systems using a coded card to authorise calls from a telephone set H04M1/675

Abstract

A tele/datacommunications network has a service node (TSN) (30) which facilitates payment/transfer from a customer account of a customer financial institution (80) to a merchant account of a merchant financial institution (90). The TSN (30) acquires a merchant identifier and transaction amount from a customer mobile station (60). The TSN (30) sends a transaction verification request message to both the customer mobile station (60) and the merchant terminal (70). Upon receipt of transaction verification, the TSN (30) requests transfer of the transaction amount from the customer account to the merchant account.

Claims

1. A method of facilitating automated payment from a customer account of a customer financial institution to a merchant account of a merchant financial institution, the method including:

acquiring a merchant identifier and transaction amount from a customer mobile station;

verifying the transaction amount with a merchant terminal;

determining whether the customer mobile station and the merchant terminal are within a predetermined geographical proximity;

upon receipt of a verification from the merchant terminal, requesting transfer of the transaction amount from the customer account to the merchant account; and

transferring the transaction amount from the customer account to the merchant account only if the customer mobile station and the merchant terminal are within the predetermined geographical proximity as a security safeguard to assure that the customer mobile station is actually proximate the merchant terminal at the time of requesting transfer.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising consulting a customer data base wherein is stored for the customer (1) a telecommunications address of the customer financial institution and (2) a customer account identifier.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising consulting a merchant data base wherein is stored for the merchant identifier (1) a telecommunications address of the merchant financial institution and (2) a merchant account identifier.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising obtaining geographic coordinates of the customer mobile station, and comparing the geographic coordinates of the customer mobile station with geographic coordinates of the merchant terminal to determine whether the customer mobile station and the merchant terminal are within the predetermined geographical proximity.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the geographic coordinates of the customer mobile station are GPS coordinates.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the merchant identifier is acquired from a display on a computer screen.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising telephonically interfacing with a data base at the customer financial institution to determine whether debiting of the customer account by the transaction amount is authorized.

8. A method for facilitating automated funds transfer of a transaction amount, the method comprising:

determining, at a service node of a telecommunications network, whether a customer mobile station and a merchant terminal are within a predetermined geographical proximity as a security safeguard to assure that the customer mobile station is actually proximate the merchant terminal; and

in response to the determining, arranging, at the service node and in response to a request from the customer mobile station, transfer of a transaction amount from a customer account of a customer financial institution to a merchant account of a merchant financial institution.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising using a merchant identifier provided on a display on a computer screen for ascertaining the merchant account.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising obtaining geographic coordinates of the customer mobile station, and comparing the geographic coordinates of the customer mobile station with geographic coordinates of the merchant terminal to determine whether the customer mobile station and the merchant terminal are within the predetermined geographical proximity.

11. A method for facilitating automated funds transfer of a transaction amount, the method comprising:

determining, at a service node of a telecommunications network, whether a customer mobile station and a merchant terminal are within a predetermined geographical proximity as a security safeguard to assure that the customer mobile station is actually proximate the merchant terminal; and

in response to the determining, arranging, at the service node and in response to request from the customer mobile station, for a credit message to be sent to a merchant account of a merchant financial institution and a debit message to be sent to a customer account of a customer financial institution.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising using a merchant identifier provided on a display on a computer screen for ascertaining the merchant account.

13. A telecommunications service for facilitating funds transfer of a transaction amount, the service comprising:

a customer mobile station;

a merchant terminal;

a customer financial institution;

a merchant financial institution;

a service node which, in response to a request from the customer mobile station, arranges for transfer of a transaction amount from a customer account of the customer financial institution to a merchant account of the merchant financial institution provided that the service node determines that the customer mobile station and the merchant terminal are within a predetermined geographical proximity as a security safeguard to assure that the customer mobile station is actually proximate the merchant terminal; and

a mobile switching center connected to the service node, to the customer mobile station, and to the merchant terminal; and

,

a data network which connects the service node to the customer financial institution and to the merchant financial institution.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising using a merchant identifier provided on a display on a computer screen for ascertaining the merchant account.

15. A service node of a telecommunications network comprising:

a processor which, in response to a request from a customer mobile station, performs a transfer of a transaction amount from a customer account of a customer financial institution to a merchant account of a merchant financial institution provided that the service node determines as a security safeguard that the customer mobile station and the merchant terminal are within a predetermined geographical proximity;

an interface which connects the processor to the network.

16. A telecommunications service for facilitating funds transfer of a transaction amount, the service comprising:

a customer mobile station;

a merchant terminal;

a customer financial institution;

a merchant financial institution;

a service node which, in response to a call from the customer mobile station;

(1) acquires a merchant identifier and transaction amount from the customer mobile station;

(2) verifies the transaction amount with the merchant terminal; and

(3) upon receipt of a verification, requests transfer of the transaction amount from the customer account to a merchant account of the merchant financial institution;

(4) determines whether the customer mobile station and the merchant terminal are within a predetermined geographical proximity prior to requesting transfer of the transaction amount from the customer account to the merchant account of the merchant financial institution as a security safeguard to assure that the customer mobile station is actually proximate the merchant terminal at the time of requesting transfer; and

a mobile switching center connected to the service node, to the customer mobile station, and to the merchant terminal; and

,

a data network which connects the service node to the customer financial institution and to the merchant financial institution.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, further wherein the service node obtains geographic coordinates of the customer mobile station, and wherein the service node compares the geographic coordinates of the customer mobile station with geographic coordinates of the merchant terminal to determine whether the customer mobile station and the merchant terminal are within a predetermined geographical proximity.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the geographic coordinates of the customer mobile station are GPS coordinates.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising a customer data base wherein is stored for the customer (1) a telecommunications address of the customer financial institution and (2) a customer account identifier.

20. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising a merchant data base wherein is stored for the merchant identifier (1) a telecommunications address of the merchant financial institution and (2) a merchant account identifier.

21. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the service node communicates with the customer financial institution to determine whether debiting of a customer account by the transaction amount is authorized.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein information ascertained from a display on a computer screen is used as the merchant identifier.

23. A node of a telecommunications network which facilitates payment from a customer account of a customer financial institution to a merchant account of a merchant financial institution, the node comprising:

a customer communication module which requires a merchant identifier and a transaction amount from a customer mobile station;

a merchant communication module which verifies the transaction amount with a merchant terminal;

a funds transfer authorization module which, upon receipt by the merchant communication module of a verification from the merchant terminal, requests transfer of the transaction amount from the customer account to the merchant account; and

a transaction security module which determines whether the customer mobile station and the merchant terminal are within a predetermined geographical proximity, and wherein transfer of the transaction amount from the customer account to the merchant account is precluded unless the customer mobile station and the merchant terminal are within the predetermined geographical proximity as a security safeguard to assure that the customer mobile station is actually proximate the merchant terminal at the time of requesting transfer.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the node is a service control point of an intelligent telecommunications network.

25. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the node is a special function node.

26. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising a customer data base wherein is stored for the customer (1) a telecommunications address of the customer financial institution and (2) a customer account identifier.

27. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising a merchant data base wherein is stored for the merchant identifier (1) a telecommunications address of the merchant financial institution and (2) a merchant account identifier.

28. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the transaction security module obtains geographic coordinates of the customer mobile station, and wherein the transaction security module compares the geographic coordinates of the customer mobile station with geographic coordinates of the merchant terminal to determine whether the customer mobile station and the merchant terminal are within the predetermined geographical proximity.

29. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising a financial institution module which communicates with the customer financial institution to determine whether debiting of the customer account by the transaction amount is authorized.

30. A method of facilitating automated payment from a customer account of a customer financial institution to a merchant account of a merchant financial institution, the method including:

acquiring a merchant identifier and transaction amount from a computer screen which displays the merchant identifier;

determining whether the customer mobile station and the computer screen are within a predetermined geographical proximity;

transferring the transaction amount from the customer account to the merchant account only if the customer mobile station and the computer screen are within the predetermined geographical proximity as a security safeguard to assure that the customer mobile station is actually proximate the computer screen at the time of requesting transfer.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the computer screen is at a customer predetermined native location.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the geographic coordinates of the customer mobile station are GPS coordinates.

33. The method of claim 30, wherein the merchant identifier is acquired from a web page displayed on the computer screen.

34. The method of claim 30, wherein the computer screen is at a merchant terminal.

35. The method of claim 30, further comprising obtaining geographic coordinates of the customer mobile station, and comparing the geographic coordinates of the customer mobile station with geographic coordinates of the computer screen to determine whether the customer mobile station and the computer screen are within the predetermined geographical proximity.

36. A method for facilitating automated funds transfer of a transaction amount, the method comprising:

determining, at a service node of a telecommunications network, whether a customer mobile station and a computer screen displaying a merchant identifier are within a predetermined geographical proximity as a security safeguard to assure that the customer mobile station is actually proximate the computer screen; and

in response to the determining, arranging, at the service node and in response to a request from the customer mobile station, transfer of a transaction amount from a customer account of a customer financial institution to a merchant account of a merchant financial institution.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the computer screen is at a customer predetermined native location.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the merchant identifier is acquired from a web page displayed on the computer screen.

39. The method of claim 36, wherein the computer screen is at a merchant terminal.

40. The method of claim 36, further comprising obtaining geographic coordinates of the customer mobile station, and comparing the geographic coordinates of the customer mobile station with geographic coordinates of the computer screen to determine whether the customer mobile station and the computer screen are within the predetermined geographical proximity.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the geographic coordinates of the customer mobile station are GPS coordinates.

42. A method for facilitating automated funds transfer of a transaction amount, the method comprising:

determining, at a service node of a telecommunications network, whether a customer mobile station and a computer screen displaying a merchant identifier are within a predetermined geographical proximity as a security safeguard to assure that the customer mobile station is actually proximate the computer screen; and

in response to the determining, arranging, at the service node and in response to request from the customer mobile station, for a credit message to be sent to a merchant account of a merchant financial institution and a debit message to be sent to a customer account of a customer financial institution.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein the computer screen is at a customer predetermined native location.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the merchant identifier is acquired from a web page displayed on the computer screen.

45. The method of claim 42, wherein the computer screen is at a merchant terminal.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein the geographic coordinates of the customer mobile station are GPS coordinates.

47. The method of claim 42, further comprising obtaining geographic coordinates of the customer mobile station, and comparing the geographic coordinates of the customer mobile station with geographic coordinates of the computer screen to determine whether the customer mobile station and the computer screen are within the predetermined geographical proximity.

48. A telecommunications service for facilitating funds transfer of a transaction amount, the service comprising:

a customer mobile station;

a computer screen displaying a merchant identifier;

a customer financial institution;

a merchant financial institution;

a service node which, in response to a request from the customer mobile station, arranges for transfer of a transaction amount from a customer account of the customer financial institution to a merchant account of the merchant financial institution provided that the service node determines that the customer mobile station and the computer screen are within a predetermined geographical proximity as a security safeguard to assure that the customer mobile station is actually proximate the computer screen; and

a mobile switching center connected to the service node and to the customer mobile station; and

,

a data network which connects the service node to the customer financial institution and to the merchant financial institution.

49. The service of claim 48, wherein the computer screen is at a customer predetermined native location.

50. The service of claim 49, wherein the merchant identifier is acquired from a web page displayed on the computer screen.

51. The service of claim 48, wherein the computer screen is at a merchant terminal.

52. The service of claim 48, further comprising obtaining geographic coordinates of the customer mobile station, and comparing the geographic coordinates of the customer mobile station with geographic coordinates of the computer screen to determine whether the customer mobile station and the computer screen are within the predetermined geographical proximity.

53. The service of claim 52, wherein the geographic coordinates of the customer mobile station are GPS coordinates.

54. A service node of a telecommunications network comprising:

a processor which, in response to a request from a customer mobile station, performs a transfer of a transaction amount from a customer account of a customer financial institution to a merchant account of a merchant financial institution provided that the service node determines as a security safeguard that the customer mobile station and a computer screen displaying a merchant identifier are within a predetermined geographical proximity;

an interface which connects the processor to the network.

55. The node of claim 54, wherein the computer screen is at a customer predetermined native location.

56. The node of claim 55, wherein the merchant identifier is acquired from a web page displayed on the computer screen.

57. The node of claim 54, wherein the computer screen is at a merchant terminal.

58. The node of claim 54, further comprising obtaining geographic coordinates of the customer mobile station, and comparing the geographic coordinates of the customer mobile station with geographic coordinates of the computer screen to determine whether the customer mobile station and the computer screen are within the predetermined geographical proximity.

59. The node of claim 58, wherein the geographic coordinates of the customer mobile station are GPS coordinates.

60. A telecommunications service for facilitating funds transfer of a transaction amount, the service comprising:

a customer mobile station;

a computer screen which displays a merchant identifier;

a customer financial institution;

a merchant financial institution;

a service node which, in response to a call from the customer mobile station;

(1) acquires the merchant identifier and a transaction amount from the customer mobile station;

(2) requests transfer of the transaction amount from the customer account to a merchant account of the merchant financial institution;

(3) determines whether the customer mobile station and the computer screen are within a predetermined geographical proximity prior to requesting transfer of the transaction amount from the customer account to the merchant account of the merchant financial institution as a security safeguard to assure that the customer mobile station is actually proximate the computer screen at the time of requesting transfer; and

a mobile switching center connected to the service node and to the customer mobile station; and

,

a data network which connects the service node to the customer financial institution and to the merchant financial institution.

61. The service of claim 60, wherein the computer screen is at a customer predetermined native location.

62. The service of claim 61, wherein the merchant identifier is acquired from a web page displayed on the computer screen.

63. The service of claim 60, wherein the computer screen is at a merchant terminal.

64. The service of claim 60, further comprising obtaining geographic coordinates of the customer mobile station, and comparing the geographic coordinates of the customer mobile station with geographic coordinates of the computer screen to determine whether the customer mobile station and the computer screen are within the predetermined geographical proximity.

65. The service of claim 64, wherein the geographic coordinates of the customer mobile station are GPS coordinates.